Strongbow Cider

Brewed by Bulmers Cider (Heineken UK)
Style: Cider
Hereford, England

Serve in Flute, Lager glass

16.9 oz. can. Dry, champagne-like aroma (but I didn’t say good champagne). Apple juice, yellow raisin, and salt scents. Floral sweetness. Smell reminiscent of light white wine and white grape juice. It’s a pleasant enough aroma, I guess. Pours a clear, very pale gold with some effervescence. A bit of short-lasting, near-white foam at the top. Tastes like a lightly fizzy apple juice. Sweeter than the aroma implies. Gets tiresome and almost sickly sweet after multiple sips. Like a bad, excessively sweet white wine. So much for "dry" cider! Weird, not gross but not particularly appetizing, aftertaste. Light body. Limited carbonation. Easy to drink (in palate, not taste). This can was a couple years old, but I don’t think it suffered for that reason. It’s hard for me to rate this since I’m not a big cider guy, but I can tell this isn’t good for the genre or overall.

Draft. 16 oz. This poured a light golden color with no head. It was quite effervescent and "pretty." It had a nice sweet apple aroma. This is the first Cider that I have ever tasted, and my choice cider when out and having that kind of beverage. It is dry, but still retains a sweet taste. I’m not huge on ciders, but this one is nice.

Can. Pours clear straw golden with no head. Aroma is tart apple. Flavor is semi-dry without a whole lot of flavor. Slightly sugary upfront, with a dry finish. Just not very interesting.

50cl can. Pale yellow colour, no head. Aroma of sweet apples and citrus. Surprisingly dry in taste (I remember the cask Strongbow somewhat differently), closer to Granny-Smith-like citiric notes. Dry finish. One of the better mainstream ciders.

Was not as sweet as expected, which is probably a good thing. Dry finish.

This is the best hard cider I have ever come across, and I consider myself to be pretty worldly when it comes to hard ciders. Not too sweet like many other brands I’ve encountered, this dry cider is a perfect blend of applely goodness. I don’t know what the girl below me is talking about, Strongbow is dry cider and is in no way sweeter than Woodchuck, Woodchuck is an overwhelmingly sugary domestic and pales in comparison to Strongbow. The Bow is extremely refreshing in the summer months, and goes very well with a big bowl of chili once autumn rolls around. It even tastes good after sitting out open on your dresser all night. In fact, I’m drinking one right now.

UPDATED: OCT 18, 2009 Pour from the 16.9oz can in Key West, FL: Compared to Woodchuck, this one’s way too sugary. Tastes like a green Jolly Rancher coated with that Sourpatch-kid sugary stuff. Drinkability: Not very refreshing. Rebuy: If I’m looking for a cider, Ill stick to Woodchuck. #108 on 04092009, DG.

Can. Clear and sparkling cider thats too sweet for me but had a nice bite too it. Other than that its a very plain and boring cider.